Farewell Sasha... ?

Technically speaking the 2008/9 season begins today, in as much as any law changes etc. that apply to the new season apply to any games from this point on.

As a result we must now, officially, say farewell to our longest-distance commuter - Sasha - who will (we hope, because we want the scheme to succeed) be part of the new Suffolk Sabres county-cluster-team-thing that Vincent has put together, the aim being to give all Suffolk girls regular 15-a-side rugby.

Sasha has probably played for more teams in her rugby career than any other player in the history of the game. From Darlington southwards there can be very few clubs whose shirt Sasha has not pulled on at one time or another - if the call ever goes out for a volunteer to fill in for an injury, Sash is always first in the queue, often by knocking everyone else out of the way. Who can forget, for example, how when IE Weldon visited us she contrived to play for every team that played against them during our Canada Day festival? Such is Sasha's determination to play against anyone, any time, any where.

However it is my guess that she has actually turned out for Letchworth more than any other team in the past three seasons. Although her primary club has always been Sudbury, fact is that (for whatever reason) Sudbury's fixture list has always been smaller than ours (well, lets be honest, from what I have seen practically every club in the country has a smaller fixture than us!) so Sash has been in the yellow and black in most games and almost every tournament... apart from the one that we won, of course, when she was in the opposition! This has required an incredible loyalty to the team - and it will be interesting to see what happens to the local rail service profits now that Sash will not be using their services quite so much.

What is there to say about a legendary player - someone who requires an average of three girls to bring her to the ground (or eight at Reading, going by the picture on the left!), Sash combined this with an incredible turn of speed - particularly last season when she not only out sprinted many a wing, but on several occasions did so for the length of the field. Her kicking was an underestimated asset - the difference between our being in the National Tens finals in the end, though her "pass" on the try line to Jess in the crucial game against Old Lemingtonians was an example of her generosity of spirit overcoming her common sense. It also came close to giving her father, and her coach, apoplexy. Speaking of medical matters it was perhaps her selfless desire to demonstrate why gumshields are important that may be her greatest legacy - after what we saw at National 7s last season no Letchworth girl will ever take the field without one again!!

But, after three years as a Legend, Sash's final junior season will be just another opposition player. Well, not "just" - one of the best - and a major thorn in our side, I expect. For even those who know her best still don't know how to stop her - or will be wanting to keep out of her way if they get the ball.

Even so is it really goodbye? I suspect not - indeed I bet if Suffolk ever have a weekend off a telephone will be ringing somewhere in Letchworth - "any chance of a game this weekend?"...